Improvement in machine for pitching casks



A. F. DOBLER;

MACHINES FOR PITCHING CASKS.

Patented April 18, 1876.

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Wfinesses.

NJEI'ERS. PHOTO-UYHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D C.

rrnn STATES ALBERT F. DOBLER, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK.

llVlPROVEMENT IN MACHINE FOR PITCHINQ CASKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 176,170, dated April 18, 1876; application filed February 23, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT F. DOBLER, of the city and county of Albany and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Machine for Pitching Oasks for Containing Beer, &c., of which the following is a full and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the machine, and Figs. 2 and 3 detached views of the yoke and swinging frame.

My invention relates to machinery for hoisting and revolving the casks, for the purpose of effecting the operation of coating their interior surfaces with pitch or other resinous substances and it consists in the combination of devices, constructed substantially as herein described; and it also consists in cooling the coating of pitch by subjecting it to the action of cold water, in the manner hereinafter specified.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, cheap, and effective machine whereby time and labor may be economized in efl ecting the pitching of casks in a most perfect manner.

As shown in the drawing, A is the frame- Work of the machine, which may be modified in any manner to suit the location where used, or for any other contingency B, a yoke, sliding in the guides b, which are attached to the frame-work A O, a hoisting-rope, attached to the eye of the yoke B, and running over the sheave D on the top of the machine, thence downward to the hoisting-gin or Windlass E, secured to the side of the framing of the machine, which is operated in the common and well-known manner. F is a swinging frame, hung in the yoke B by means of the trunnions f, upon which the frame turns; one of these trunnions is provided with a square head, f, for the purpose of receiving a crank for turning the frame. G is a pointed center, constructed to slide in a hub formed at one end of the frame F, and which is retained in position by means of a set-screw, g,- on the conical point ofthis center the cask is centered to turn freely. H is a square-nosed center, fitted to rotate in a hub at the other end of the frame F, the square nose of it entering a recess, (formed in a plate secured to the head of the cask, or by any other means best suited to the purpose,) in which it is held by a set-screw in the collar it; this center is provided with a square head for receiving a crank for imparting a rotatory motion to the cask. The frame F is provided with an arched projection, I, in which a series of holes is made, corresponding with a hole in one of the side bars of the yoke B, into which the pin J isinserted for the purpose of holding the frame F in any desired position. The cask to be pitched is placed beneath the machine, and the frame F lowered down until the centers G and H are in line with the centers of the heads of the cask; the centers are then moved up so as to enter their proper centering places, the centers being adjusted so as to balance the cask upon the trunnions f of the frame F, and secured by the set-screws g and h, or by any analogous means, so as to hold the cask securely. The hot pitch is then introduced into the cask, in the usual manner, and a rotatory motion imparted to the cask, which should also, at frequent intervals, be turned end for end by swinging the frame F upon its trunnions, or placed in an angular position by changing the pin I in the holes in the arch of the frame. By this means an even coating of pitch is spread over the interior surface of the cask.

A prolific source of trouble in the pitching of beer-casks arises from the coating of pitch running off from the surface when the motion of the cask ceases, before the pitch is sufficiently hardened, causing it to run down in masses to the lowest part of the cask in the position in which it is resting, and leaving the remaining surface with an insufficient coating. To prevent this it is a common practice to keep the casks in constant motion until the pitch is properly cooled and set by the atmosphere, which operation requires the outlay of considerable time and labor. To remedy this defect I provide a water-tank, K, (which may be placed upon wheels, for facilitating its removal into and out of position beneath the cask, or placed permanently 'beneath the machine,) into which the cask may be lowered While it is still kept revolving upon the centers G and H 5 the effect of this contact of the cold water with the pitch is to cool it immediately, thereby saving much time and labor. Where hydrant-water is available, the tank may be dispensed with, and the cooling ef- 2 trance fected by inserting hose in the man-hole of the cask, and discharging a stream of water into it, (the cask,) which must be kept revolving, as above described. It is manifest that, by the same means, the washing of the cask both internally and externally can be effected most readily. By making the centers Gr and H to slide into their places, and. securing them by set-screws, I remedy the .defect arising from the use of centers that are moved into position by means of screws, whereby great damage is frequently occasioned by screwing the centers against the heads of the casks with sufficient force to spring them and fracture their joints, so as to cause them to leak.

My invention embraces in its modifications the securing of the yoke B in a fixed position to the end of a vertically-sliding bar, Working in guides, and raised by means of a Windlass, gearing, or any of the common and well-known devices used for hoisting purposes.

I claim as my invention-- 1. In a cask-pitching machine, the combination of the yoke B and swinging frame F with the hoisting device, substantially as herein described, and for the purpose specified.

2. The sliding centers G and H, secured by the set-screws g and h, substantially as herein described, and for the purpose specified.

3. The method herein described for cooling Y the coating of pitch, consisting of the application of cold water thereto while the cask is revolving, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. The swinging frame F, provided with an arched projection, I, in combination with the yoke B and pin J, for holding the frame at any required angle, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

ALBERT FREDERICK D OBLEB. 

